By Diego Montenegro, A+ Editing & Content Creation
It’s not easy starting over, but a local charity has recently invested $4.5 million to give a portion of the population a second chance. Due to rising incarceration rates and a lack of recidivism programs in Black and Latino communities, many residents can’t bounce back from a life of crime. Broward College has an answer for the community in its Young Adults Re-entry Program (Y.A.R.P).
Recently, the organization got an extra financial push thanks to a grant provided by OIC South Florida. The non-profit group donated $4.5 million to assist with the vocational training of 188 previously incarcerated people in Broward County.
“Research shows early and frequent engagement prior to release from incarceration reduces the risk of recidivism, so these grants are vital to stopping the revolving door of prison from turning,” said John Pallasch, Assistant Secretary for U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
OIC’s donation to Broward College’s Young Adults Re-entry Program (Y.A.R.P) will help incentivize young people involved in the justice system to refrain from crime during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As we work together to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that this grant will allow OIC to continue serving young adults and justice-involved individuals as they reenter society. We congratulate OIC on receiving this award,” said Mason Jackson, President Emeritus of CareerSource Broward.
OIC is a non-profit agency that provides vocational training, educational opportunities, and job placements.
The Y.A.R.P program allows its participants to attend Broward College to receive credentialing, accreditation, and essential training. Participants can begin to study right away and start a new, in-demand career in Information technology, Construction Operations, Food Service Operations, Health and Medical, and Transportation & Moving Materials.
Participants need to be between the ages of 18-24, been previously incarcerated, in and out of home placements, on probation, parole, or under alternative sentencing. Participants also need to be residents of Broward County.
If you want to know more, there is a virtual open house on Zoom at 3 p.m. every Tuesday. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcucOuvqjMtHdGDeOWBi0_WP-ZaGZnFE5Gu
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